Hungary FM Admits Russia Contacts As EU Leak Claims Spark ‘Treason’ Row (Worthy News Investigation)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief reporting from Budapest, Hungary

BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary’s foreign minister has admitted contacts with Russia during European Union meetings, after reports that confidential information from closed-door discussions may have been shared—an allegation the opposition says could amount to “treason” and carry a potential life sentence in prison.

Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister of one of Europe’s most pro-Russian governments, said at a campaign event in the lakeside town of Keszthely in western Hungary that he regularly speaks with his Russian counterpart during and around EU meetings, describing such contacts as part of normal diplomacy.

The candidate leading the polls in Hungary’s upcoming elections said the alleged sharing of confidential EU information between Budapest and Moscow should be investigated as possible treason, while the European Commission has called for “clarifications” over the reported leaks.

Péter Magyar, a conservative anti-corruption campaigner challenging Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, said the government appeared to be colluding with Russia, “thereby betraying Hungarian and European interests.”

OPPOSITION DEMANDS PROBE

A report by The Washington Post newspaper, later backed by diplomatic sources cited by British daily The Guardian, said Szijjártó routinely updated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with details of confidential EU meetings.

“If confirmed, this would amount to treason, which carries a potential life sentence in prison,” Magyar wrote, adding that a future government would investigate the matter.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, described the reports as “greatly concerning” and urged Hungary to clarify whether confidential information had been shared.

A spokesperson said trust among EU member states is essential and that discussions within the 27-nation bloc are expected to remain confidential.

EU SEEKS CLARIFICATION

Some European diplomats indicated they were not surprised by the allegations, suggesting tighter controls on information-sharing may be needed.

A German foreign ministry spokesperson said discussions within the EU are confidential and that any violations would not be tolerated.

Szijjártó confirmed he maintains regular contact with Lavrov, including during EU meetings, but rejected claims he breached any rules.

“Yes, these issues must be discussed with our partners outside the European Union,” he said, adding that he also speaks with officials from the United States, Turkey, Israel, and Serbia.

SZIJJÁRTÓ DEFENDS CONTACTS

He argued that diplomacy requires dialogue, insisting that no sensitive secrets are discussed at the ministerial level.

Hungary’s government had earlier dismissed the allegations as “fake news.”

The controversy has also drawn in Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi, who has reported extensively on alleged links and communications between Hungarian officials and Russia.

Panyi said he believed he had faced pressure over his reporting, describing what he called a “smear campaign” against him.

ELECTIONS AND RISING TENSIONS

He said earlier that his smartphone had been infected with Pegasus spyware, developed by the Israeli cybersecurity company NSO Group, which can monitor texts, as well as a device’s camera and microphone.

Other journalists in Hungary have also reported surveillance and pressure in recent years, raising broader concerns about media freedom in the country.

The controversy comes weeks before Hungary’s parliamentary elections on April 12, where Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party faces its strongest challenge in years from Magyar’s Tisza Party.

Relations between Hungary and its European Union partners have already deteriorated, with Budapest recently blocking a 90 billion euro EU loan package for Ukraine.

BROADER SECURITY CONCERNS

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the reports did not come as a surprise, adding that suspicions about Hungary’s ties to Moscow had existed for some time.

Hungary remains one of the few EU nations maintaining close ties with the Kremlin and continues to rely heavily on Russian energy supplies despite pressure from Brussels.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has traveled to Moscow multiple times in recent years, where he has held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring Budapest’s ongoing engagement with the Kremlin despite the war in Ukraine.

Szijjártó has likewise visited Moscow repeatedly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has received honors from Putin.

The allegations come amid broader concerns about Russian influence operations in Europe, including disinformation campaigns and attempts to shape political outcomes.

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